Journey to the West: Life Simulation of Sun Wukong

"Master, your spiritual platform, this 'Square Inch', is indeed unique, existing beyond the Three Realms yet not entirely separated from them, confined within this square inch, while its intent lies within the Three Stars."

Sun Wukong set down the black piece in his hand because he had won this game of strategy.

This time, Sun Wukong didn't give Subhuti the chance to cheat. With a momentum as unstoppable as a bamboo splitting, he forcefully swallowed up all of the white pieces.

"Really, you don't go easy on your master," Subhuti said with a helpless expression. He straightened his gaze and spoke slowly, "Here, from the name, you must have guessed it—whether it's the 'Square Inch' spiritual platform or the 'Slanted Moon and Three Stars', they all signify one word."

"Heart."

"Where the heart is, there lies the 'Square Inch'."

"This is the realm of the heart, meaning that only those whose hearts truly seek may come here, where connections are made and lost, such is the way."

Sun Wukong slowly nodded his head.

The disciples of the Ancestral Master, besides him, when they learned their skills and descended the mountain, would gradually forget and overlook other experiences aside from their acquired skills.

This was also why, when Sun Wukong left, he issued an invitation to those brothers—hoping they would remember this part of their journey.

Alas, they were fated to study the Way together within the same 'Square Inch', yet not destined to work together.

"For people, or rather for all sentient beings with consciousness, the nature of life is not just the nature as far as the eye can see but also includes the nature of the self, the spirit," Subhuti said.

The Ancestral Master waved his horsetail whisk to clear the dust off the chessboard and continued, "It's just that the heart of sentient beings is easily influenced by the external world, hence, getting shrouded in the tribulations of the mortal world, confused by fame, desire, hatred, and passion, unable to extricate oneself."

Having said that, the Ancestral Master paused for a moment and looked at Sun Wukong strangely, saying, "After you left as my disciple, I calculated your various futures. In one of them, you had not yet achieved your true fruit and came here after showing off your Divine Skills. I expelled you from the mountain and you, abandoning your heart, caused great trouble. Eventually, you faced the fate of being suppressed and after reflecting for more than five hundred years, you finally came out, gradually recovering the firm heart of seeking the Way, gradually finding back to your true self."

Sun Wukong laughed and said, "Master indeed possesses Great Divine Power."

The Ancestral Master sighed and said, "It seems that before you had Divine Skills, you had already learnt about your original experiences in full detail. Only thus could you, upon coming here, become a 'Tai Yi Golden Immortal' infused with the Primordial Unity."

"Thinking about it now, this is also your karmic law, fully settling our bond as master and disciple."

Sun Wukong smiled and poured tea for the Ancestral Master.

Whether in simulation or the reality he had experienced, his true master was only one—the Subhuti Ancestral Master before him. The Tang Monk in the simulations, who he called 'master' was simply out of gratitude for saving his life and serving as a protector.

The Ancestral Master picked up the teacup, pursed his lips, and savoured the tea, saying, "You have received my true teaching, encompassing Confucianism, Buddhism, and Taoism—with Taoism and Buddhism in balance. You only lack a proper title, whether it be joining the ranks of the Immortals or being sealed as a Buddha."

"And as for Confucianism, you still have much to learn."

"It's like the moon in the well, the flower in the water, merely a reflection that drifts with the waves."

"Your disciple is making efforts," Sun Wukong said.

"Do you know what Confucianism is?" the Ancestral Master asked.

After pondering for a long time, Sun Wukong said, "It's not the Confucianism created by Confucius, nor is it found in the 'Four Books and Five Classics' or the scriptures of various schools, but rather within the realm of humanity."

"Can you be more specific?" the Ancestral Master asked with a slight smile.

"What humanity needs, that is Confucianism," Sun Wukong said decisively, as if he had understood something. After attaining the Way, he had relaxed too much.

Like in Huaguo Mountain, to take it easy, he appointed Ao Yun as his second king, while he himself traveled around, visiting his master.

Enjoying the mountains and waters, living a carefree life, he was close to becoming an idle person rather than an Immortal.

This should not be!

This was indeed not right!

He thought of the Jade Emperor who had passed through 1,750 calamities, each lasting 129,600 years, totaling up to 226,080,000 years.

Though such an age suggests profound mana, for those who have found the Way, a single thought can produce boundless mana, realizing thousands of Divine Skills and spells.

The Jade Emperor's position as the Great Heavenly Sovereign wasn't due to his profound mana, but because of the number of calamities he had passed through.

For mortals, mana has infinite marvels, and they painstakingly cultivate precisely for that bit of mana; but for Immortals and deities, acquiring mana is easy. Only by comprehending the principles of nature and understanding the true essence of the world does one walk the correct path.'

"It seems you understand," said the Ancestral Master.

Ancestral Master Subhuti stroked his beard and smiled, his eyes filled with satisfaction.

Sun Wukong pondered for a moment and then told the Ancestral Master about the simulator.

The Ancestral Master asked Sun Wukong to open his mind to let him inspect it.

Naturally, Sun Wukong agreed.

In this world, only the Ancestral Master truly had his trust.

All that he had came from the Ancestral Master, and even if the Ancestral Master wished to take them back, he would let him, without the slightest resistance.

The Ancestral Master's wise eyes opened, emitting a spiritual light, capable of viewing all the heavens and seeing through the great cosmos, but he saw nothing out of the ordinary on Sun Wukong. Thus, he withdrew his Divine Skills and shook his head, saying, "I did not find what you spoke of."

If what his disciple said was true, then surely it was an object beyond Daoist enlightenment.

Whether it was fortune or calamity, it was for the disciple himself to discover.

Sun Wukong was not disappointed. After his enlightenment, he had also been unable to figure out what the simulator of Heavenly Dao life was—how could his Master be expected to understand?

After bidding farewell to the Ancestral Master, Sun Wukong descended Square Inch Mountain. Looking back, he saw it shrouded in mist and let out a light laugh before rising on a cloud, heading towards the Eastern Victory Divine Continent.

As he passed Mount Jilei, a huge rod smashed towards him.

Sun Wukong leapt up to dodge the strike and, looking down, saw the Bull Demon King rampaging on Mount Jilei, turning the verdant forest and fragrant flowers into nothing but dust.

Not to mention that within Mount Jilei, countless mountain spirits and innocent beings had all been killed by the Bull Demon King. It was a grave sin indeed.

Sun Wukong despised evil. Although this place was not his homeland, he could not bear to see it ravaged. Thus, he descended from the clouds, pulled out the Jingu Bang, and shouted at the Bull Demon King, "Rampaging demon, how dare you run wild here! Stop at once! Do not commit further slaughter!"

Startled by the roar, the Bull Demon King jumped, fixing his gaze on a golden-furred monkey with a human-like face, looking valiant and extraordinary.

"Who is this gentleman that dares meddle in my business?" the Bull Demon King asked angrily.

"I am from Shuilian Cave of Huaguo Mountain! Sun Wukong!" Sun Wukong exclaimed. "We spirits of the mountains and forests strive arduously in our cultivation, while also needing to do good and amass virtue. How can you run amok again, disturbing the ley lines and destroying the woodlands?"

"Mind your own business!"

The Bull Demon King was angry. He had planned to make a home on Mount Jilei, to be neighbors with the Venerable Fox King. Once the Fox King's time was up and the juvenile fox had grown, he'd take advantage of the situation to seize their riches.

But now, his family had vanished—how could he not be furious?

He was ready to vent his anger on the monkey before him!

Thus, the Bull Demon King, hoisting his iron rod, struck out at Sun Wukong's head.

Sun Wukong also raised his rod in response, and in an instant, within ten thousand li, the ground trembled incessantly.

To protect the tranquility of the mountains, Sun Wukong took the lead and ascended, rising into the clouds.

"Where do you think you're going!"

Seeing him ascend, the Bull Demon King thought Wukong was trying to flee. With his bullish temper flaring, he also rose into the clouds to pursue.

Soon, the two were clashing with their rods, engrossed in battle—

The Bull King's rod swung fierce as a flood dragon; Wukong's rod met it, akin to gods and spirits in retreat.

At first, they fought at the mountain's pinnacle, later ascending side by side to the sky's frontier.

Revealing Divine Skills amid the skies, within the radiant light they executed wondrous tactics.

The rods clashed with a thunderous din at Heaven's gates, none gaining an inch in this draw.

But as time wore on, the Bull Demon King grew weary and slow in his movements, and Sun Wukong struck him on the shoulder with his rod.

With a "crack," a bone was broken.

The Bull Demon King howled in pain!